Page 62 of Their Cruel Play
Me:
*smiley face emoji*
Kenz:
Are you okay, H?
Me:
Yeah, I will be *heart emoji*
CHAPTER 18
The General
Harper
I walk into my house with my hair still damp. We spent some time watching a movie in Caden’s movie room with pizza and popcorn. Then we played in the pool some.
The guys cuddled me during the movie and kissed and touched me in the pool, but nothing moved past a boob graze or an ass grab. It was nice. I need a shower though to get the chlorine off me.
Mom’s in the kitchen and turns toward me. Her eyebrow lifts at my wet hair. I roll my eyes and pull on the strap of my bathing suit to show her.
“I need a shower to rinse off the chlorine.” I stop at the island and wait.
“Spent the afternoon with all of them?” She still seems skeptical.
“We watched a movie and then played in the pool for a while.” I set my keys on the island. “They wanted some time to get ready for dinner tonight because they’re all taking it seriously.”
She nods. “Good.”
“Be back in a few minutes.” I hurry upstairs and take a quick shower. After putting on a light dress and forgoing shoes, I walk back downstairs. Voices drift to me from the kitchen.
“How’s your mother?” Mom asks.
“She’s good,” Nico says. The tension eases a little in my chest. I should let go of my anger with Nico since we’re all a team now and he’s one of my boyfriends. It still feels weird to even think that. But he also chose them over me.
If I’d ever hoped he’d protect me from them, he dashed that onto the rocks. It felt like a betrayal of our friendship. Sure, it had been years since we talked, but he’d been my one and only best friend. When he left, it devastated me.
To know he kept in touch with the horsemen but not me was a dagger in my back. But I still thought he was my friend and that’s why he agreed to join them and not oppose them.
I take a deep breath and try to let it go. Just pretend everything is okay. It will come to a head at some point, and we can deal with it then.
“Hey.” I walk in and Nico smiles.
“You look beautiful, Harper.” There’s a little awe in his voice that makes my heart trip over itself.
“Thank you.” I join him at the island and his thigh brushes mine but he keeps his hands clasped on the counter, where my mom can see them.
“You should call my mom if you get a chance. The move back here has been a little rough on her.” Nico nods toward my mom. “Her cell number is the same.”
“I might.” Mom looks over at me. “Does she know about this?”
Nico rubs the back of his neck. “She knows Harper’s my girlfriend, but she doesn’t know that she’s the guys’ girlfriend too.”
Mom nods thoughtfully as she stirs the pan on the stove.
A knock on the door draws our attention. I stand and open it. Jack and Caden smile down at me.
